For Facebookers who have both left leaning and right leaning FB friends:

[NeoConsSuck]

Is it just my circle of FB friends or have you noticed this too? The extreme right is still energized on Facebook, but the progressive friends have resumed their non-political lives.

A little background: I have about 150 FB friends, of which about 20 are *extreme* right wing zealots, with an equal number of progressive friends. During election time, it was a nightly left vs right battle. Now, the left has exited the FB political battlefield, but the rightwingers still post rabidly. I'm the only one in my group still pointing out the lies and distortions of the right wing posters, whereas I use to get backup from my progressive friends. And every one of my posts usually has 3-5 rebuttals from the pro-gun, birther, teabagger, pro-corporate group.

As much as the right wing nutjobs are batshit crazy, they are committed, and never seem to give up. I know every morning when I open my Facebook page, I'll have to wade through post after post of the satanic Obama and Biden.

If my Facebook page is any reflection on who will be more energized for the 2014 elections, I'm very concerned. It seems my progressive friends savored the Obama victory and decided to take the next four years off.

[Mika]

1. Democracy is about votin' and stuff, right?

Less of the 'and stuff' part. Don't worry, the dems will compromise their way back.

[JaneyVee]

2. Probably because the left-leaning won the election combined with rightwingers being delusional

about everything.

[madamesilverspurs]

3. Happy to report the opposite!

Of course, I first got on FB for the politics, and likely some 90% of my friends there can say the same. If anything, more have come aboard. It doesn't hurt that our Occupy group is still very active and posts frequently. We also have several groups that are addressing fracking and Keystone. Yet others are working on racial justice, bank issues, foreclosures, health care, etc. And gun laws.

A couple friends have left because of the politics, no biggie. Their online interests are just confined to school or family. One left because I wouldn't let her slide with Fox lies. Also no biggie.

But in the main, we're still adding folks to the boots on the ground brigade. Hooray for that!

[mokawanis]

4. I see Facebook as a waste of time when it comes to politics

which is another way of saying I don't spend much time on FB. Like you, I do see more political material and a higher energy level from friends and relatives on the right but a lot of it amounts to little more than shrieking about how much they hate the left, and since they tend to be less articulate, or maybe just because it's FB, they frequently rely on memes to do their talking for them.

[arcane1]

5. For me, it's the opposite: the righties have fallen mostly silent on politics

There is still the occasional "Ted Nugent for President" drivel, but for the most part "politics" is absent from that crowd. Meanwhile, on the left, I'm seeing more about oil spills, SS, Keystone, etc.

Even better, I'm seeing more of the righties posting things that are apolitical, but about things like supporting small businesses.

[TroglodyteScholar]

6. I abandoned FB a long time ago, but here's my thought...

Your progressive friends got their guy into office. They trust him and they're sitting back.

Your right-wing friends still have a "liberal" (read "left-of-center) black guy in the White House to stir up their ire on a daily basis.

Of course the wingers are going to be more vocal.

[FrodosPet]

7. I come to DU for politics

I go to Facebook to see pictures of my friend's kids, motivational and/or silly messages, and to complain to companies in a way that is hard for them to ignore.